Information Notice No. 91-24: Recent Operating Experience Involving Reactor Operation Without a Licensed Reactor Operator or Senior Reactor Operator Present in the Control Room
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
March 26, 1991
Information Notice No. 91-24: RECENT OPERATING EXPERIENCE INVOLVING
REACTOR OPERATION WITHOUT A LICENSED
REACTOR OPERATOR OR SENIOR REACTOR
OPERATOR PRESENT IN THE CONTROL ROOM
Addressees:
All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power,
test, and research reactors, and all Part 55 licensed operators.
Purpose:
This information notice is provided to alert addressees to recent operating
experience involving reactor operation without a licensed reactor operator
or senior reactor operator present in the control room. It is expected that
recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities
and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However,
suggestions contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC re-
quirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.
Description of Circumstances:
On January 22, 1991, the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) 1 MW TRIGA
research reactor was operating at 1 MW (rated thermal power). During this
operational period, the reactor operator left the control room briefly to
provide University personnel access to the reactor bay area through a locked
door. The reactor operator was the only person present in the control room
and adjoining reactor bay area before the University personnel were
admitted. The reactor operator then returned to the control room once the
University personnel were admitted. No other operational occurrences were
associated with the event.
On December 20, 1990, General Public Utilities (GPU), the licensee, was
operating the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant at power. The Group
Operating Supervisor (GOS) and the Group Shift Supervisor (GSS) were the
licensed senior reactor operators present in the control room. During this
operational period, the GSS left the control room, leaving the GOS as the
only SRO present. While the GSS was absent, the GOS left the control room
without realizing that he had been the only SRO present. Both the GSS and
the GOS returned when informed that there were no SROs present in the
control room.
9103200131
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IN 91-24
March 26, 1991
Page 2 of 2
Discussion:
At PSU, the licensee's management learned of this event through the reported
observation by another staff member. When the licensed reactor operator was
interviewed by the facility director, the operator stated he did not know
that leaving the control room unattended (with the reactor unsecured) was a
violation of the reactor facility's technical specifications. To prevent
reoccurrence, the licensee has implemented a training procedure explaining
this event and the importance of adhering to the technical specifications.
At the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant, the licensee stated that the reason
an SRO was not present in the control room at all times was because the GOS
had failed to follow the guidance on shift turnovers in the administrative
procedures. This guidance was prepared as a result of a similar event that
occurred at Oyster Creek on October 5, 1989. The GOS involved in this event
had been in training for his SRO license when the October 1989 event
occurred and had not been made aware of the subsequent guidance on the
control room staffing requirements.
Facility licensees are expected to be familiar with the minimum staffing
levels for reactor operation specified in the technical specifications for
their respective nuclear facilities or as stated in Section 50.54 (k) and
(m) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as appropriate. These
requirements apply to non-power and power nuclear reactor facilities.
This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If
you have any questions about the information in this notice, please call the
technical contact listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager.
Charles E. Rossi, Director
Division of Operational Events Assessment
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Technical Contact: John Thompson, NRR
(301) 492-1171
Attachment:
List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
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